Dodgy "paypal" email ?

c - 13

Just a quick query for you guys I got the following email from "paypal" into a hotmail account I have today, which I thought was a bit strange as I set up one paypal account and set it up with my gmail address

Paypal Company <info@paypal.com> wrote:

Please Update Your Account


Dear valued PayPal member:

It has come to out attention that your PayPal account information needs to
be updated as . part of .our continuing. commitment to protect .your account
and to reduce the instance of .fraud on our website. If you .could please take
5-10 minutes out of your online experience and update your personal records
you will not run into any future problems with the online services.

However, failure to update your records will result in account suspension.
Please update your records on or before Feb 23, 2007.

Once you have updated. your account records, your PayPal session will not
be interrupted and will continue as normal.

To update your PayPal records click on the following link:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run

PayPal, Inc.
P.O. Box 45950
Omaha, NE 68145

Sincerely,

PayPal

So I checked the correspondance address from the mails on my gmail account and they all seem to have come from service@intl.paypal.com - Now obviously I have no intentions of going near the link on that mail but would appreciate others opinions on this mail - Real/Fake/Phising ?

Shane O' Malley

There are hundreds of them going around for Paypal and various banks.

If you look closely at the link, you will see it is actually an image and that the link shown is not actually the link that it goes to.

If you use Firefox or the new Internet explorer, you will probably find that they warn you that the site is reported as a phishing site.

c - 13

Shane O' Malley wrote:

There are hundreds of them going around for Paypal and various banks.

If you look closely at the link, you will see it is actually an image and that the link shown is not actually the link that it goes to.

If you use Firefox or the new Internet explorer, you will probably find that they warn you that the site is reported as a phishing site.

So it is now that I look at it. Good call. In fairness hotmail did send it straight to the spam folder, suppose that accounts for something.

My first phishing email ! I feel spechul \0/

smcelhinney

Looks dodgy.

If this is a complete grab of the email, notice the punctuation and language. "." Full stops to attempt to fool spam agents, "take 5-10 minutes out of your online experience", doesnt make sense at all..

Also, does the fully qualified URL go to a site on the paypal server? Plus you can fake any email address in an email, check the headers.

Dont go near it, in fact report it to paypal. I think they have a phish-report functionality somewhere on their website.

MarkR

The text of the link will bring you to paypals site, not sure what the embedded link was so can't say but most likely a fraud one.

Have a look at this from the real paypal site.

c - 13

Yep thats a full grab, I thought it read a bit odd myself thats why I was so wary.

I dint know paypal had a reporting service ill report it now. Thanks guys.

Ruu_Old

Paypal never send emails with "Dear User", always the name on the account is used.

mike65

paypal/ebay etc never send you e mails with a direct link to "your account".

See one bin one.

Mike.

Do-more

I got this one a week or so ago....

Upgrade Your Information

---

Dear Member It has come to our attention that your PayPal billing information is out of date. Therefore we have had to put a limit your paypal account. We require you to update your billing information on or before 12th February 2007. Failure to update your records may result on a suspension of your account.

To update your PayPal records follow the link below and update your information: http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_home




This security measure helps us continue to offer PayPal as a secure and cost-effective payment service. We appreciate your cooperation and assistance.


Sincerely,
The PayPal Team

---

Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and choose the Help link located in the top right corner of any PayPal page.

PayPal Email ID PP295


I sent a copy of the mail to spoof@paypal.com might help help to catch them...

Also reported to the webmaster the fact that the "security center" link on paypal.ie went to a German language page! Took them nearly a week to correct it mind!

drdre

I got one today and deleted it.donot put your details in anywhere on there link.its fraud it will take your money from your account.be really careful

c - 13

Just a quick note to say I got a mail back from paypal to confirm it was indeed a phishing mail and that they were looking into it. Thanks all.

drdre

c - 13 wrote:

Just a quick note to say I got a mail back from paypal to confirm it was indeed a phishing mail and that they were looking into it. Thanks all.

Thansk for the update

cast_iron

Shane O' Malley wrote:

If you use Firefox or the new Internet explorer, you will probably find that they warn you that the site is reported as a phishing site.

When I click on the link in IE7, it suggests it's ok - gives the green bar and says it's ok by Verisign.

collied

how can you tell its an image and not a link

Ruu_Old

No matter where on the email that you mouse over, it will show the link in the status bar at the bottom, so that shows its an image map. Now in Mozilla Thunderbird, there will be also a blue border around it, showing its an image.